Method for manufacturing floor panels and floor panel for forming a floor covering

Abstract

Method for manufacturing floor panels, where the floor panels include a carrier on the basis of thermoplastic material and a top layer provided on the carrier; and where the method further includes at least the steps of strewing the thermoplastic material and consolidating the strewn thermoplastic material; where the thermoplastic material is strewn as a dry-blend.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein the floor panels comprise a carrier on the basis of thermoplastic material, fillers and additives, and a top layer provided on the carrier; wherein the method comprises at least the steps of:
 providing a dry-blend powder mixture; wherein said dry-blend comprises at least said thermoplastic material, said fillers and said additives as individual elements in said powder mixture; 
 strewing the dry-blend on a transport device and consolidating the strewn dry-blend on the transport device under influence of pressure and/or temperature to form at least said carrier. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises one or more of the following characteristics:
 the thermoplastic material comprises polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the thermoplastic synthetic material, wherein the PVC has a (Fikentscher) K-value which is smaller than or equal to 60; 
 the thermoplastic material comprises a vinyl acetate-based copolymer, wherein the vinyl acetate-based copolymer has a (Fikentscher) K-value which is smaller than or equal to 60; and/or 
 the thermoplastic material comprises a plasticizer in an amount up to maximum 20 phr. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said filler comprises an inorganic filler. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method also comprises the step of foaming the thermoplastic material; and wherein to this aim, the thermoplastic material is provided with a blowing agent. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of foaming the thermoplastic material is performed after the step of strewing the dry-blend, and preferably is performed during the step of consolidating the strewn dry-blend. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said blowing agent relates to a chemical blowing agent. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said blowing agent relates to an expandable microsphere. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises a density-reducing filler, which preferably is expanded, foamed, porous or hollow. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of consolidating the strewn dry-blend is performed by means of a heated press device. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method also comprises the step of providing the carrier with a reinforcement layer, more particularly a glass fiber cloth or glass fleece. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier has a thickness of at least 3 millimeters. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said steps are performed as a continuous process. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said top layer comprises at least a decor and a transparent or translucent wear layer situated on top of the decor and being in the form of a thermoplastic film. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the decor in the form of a print is realized on a synthetic material film and, whether or not together with the wear layer, is bonded to the carrier by means of a thermal laminating process. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the top layer comprises a thermoplastic backing layer, which is of a supple or soft thermoplastic. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier, whether or not together with still other layers, forms a material web which is cut to floor panels, in particularly to oblong rectangular or square floor panels. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the floor panels, on at least two opposite edges, are provided with coupling parts via which a plurality of such floor panels can be coupled to each other mechanically in order to thereby provide a locking, preferably both horizontally and vertically. 
     
     
       18. A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein the floor panels comprise a carrier on the basis of thermoplastic material, fillers and additives, and a top layer provided on the carrier; wherein the method comprises at least the steps of:
 providing a dry-blend powder mixture; wherein said dry-blend comprises at least said thermoplastic material, said fillers and said additives as individual elements in said powder mixture; 
 strewing the dry-blend on a transport device and consolidating the strewn dry-blend on the transport device under influence of pressure and/or temperature to form at least the carrier; 
 wherein the method also comprises the step of foaming the thermoplastic material, and 
 wherein the dry-blend to this aim is provided with a blowing agent; and 
 wherein the dry-blend comprises plasticizer in an amount up to maximum 20 phr. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method also comprises the step of providing the carrier with a reinforcement layer, more particularly a glass fiber cloth or glass fleece. 
     
     
       20. A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein the floor panels comprise a carrier on the basis of thermoplastic material, fillers and additives, and a top layer provided on the carrier; wherein the method comprises at least the steps of:
 providing a dry-blend powder mixture; wherein said dry-blend comprises at least said thermoplastic material, said fillers and said additives as individual elements in said powder mixture; 
 strewing the dry-blend on a transport device and consolidating the strewn dry-blend on the transport device under influence of pressure and/or temperature to form at least the carrier; 
 wherein the method also comprises the step of foaming the thermoplastic material, and 
 wherein the dry-blend to this aim is provided with a blowing agent; and wherein the blowing agent relates to a chemical blowing agent.